Dallas-based Startup Hires CTO, Helping Workers Build Most In-Demand Skills

Veteran software and engineering executive, Kent Raymer joins Meritize, pioneer in merit-based education finance

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Sep 13, 2019, 12:36 ET

FRISCO, Texas, Sept. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Meritize, developer of merit-based financing solutions, today announced the appointment of Kent Raymer as chief technology officer. As the company's first CTO, Raymer will lead the development of the company's pioneering technology platform, which bridges the gap between job-seekers, training providers, and employers working to close skill-gaps for in-demand roles. Unlike traditional approaches to education finance, the firm's unique, forward-looking approach is based on an individual's potential to succeed—rather than simply a credit score or other narrow measures.

"Our work is rooted in a belief that access to skills-based training should be based on an individual's potential, not their past. It's about bridging the divide—and removing the friction—between workers ready to upskill, and employers that are feeling the pressure to close growing skill gaps," said Chris Keaveney, founder and CEO of Meritize. "Kent's experience will enable us to translate data insights from the Meritize platform into tools that consumers can use. He's helping us to harness the potential of big data to identify—and create—new pathways for untapped talent."

Raymer brings more than twenty years of experience in agile software development, product engineering and user experience design. He most recently led the Dallas and Austin offices of software consultancy Pivotal Labs. There, he was responsible for a team of over 40 developers, designers and product managers and oversaw the design, development and scaling of new products, applications and digital offerings for Dallas-based Fortune 500 companies in the health care, defense, travel and real estate industries. He also served for nearly a decade at Heartland Payment Systems, at the time one of the most widely-used payment processing systems in the United States.

"The Meritize team combines deep expertise in finance and technology with a social impact mission," Raymer said. "Their approach is disrupting the world of skills training in ways that hold profound potential to improve economic opportunity and mobility for working adults and their families."

A Texas native and father of three, Raymer began his career while working full-time as an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics.

Meritize pairs employer-backed training with a proprietary approach to education finance that uses an individual's academic, military and work achievements to enhance credit evaluation and improve financing options. To date, the company has expanded its skill-based hiring and finance platform, which now serves more than four thousand students and trainees participating in over 650 unique, in-demand training programs.

About Meritize: Meritize is bridging the divide individual aspiration and today's most in-demand jobs. Our unique, merit-based financing options consider an individual's job experience, academic and military record to identify employer-backed training—and financing options that reflect their true potential. We work directly with employers to build talent development solutions that close skills gaps with better qualified workers. For more information visit www.meritize.com.

SOURCE Meritize